


a rose by any other name

by malibu_island



Category: 1917 - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternative Universe - Royalty, Forbidden Love, M/M, Royal Households at War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:15:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malibu_island/pseuds/malibu_island
Summary: The Royal Houses of Schofield and Blake have been at war for many years.However, when a chance encounter brings the two Crown Princes together, can they finally reunite their Kingdoms and bring peace to the land?Or will they die trying and be labelled as traitors to the crown?
Relationships: Tom Blake/William Schofield
Comments: 7
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old draft/plot bunny I’ve had for ever and a day, however I saw this post on tumblr which inspired me to drag it out of the archives, dust it off and present it here for your enjoyment. Also, again thanks to my friend over there who lets me hash these ideas out with them.
> 
> Post: https://schofeild.tumblr.com/post/190951917862/love-at-first-sight-medieval-blakefield-au

_From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,_

_   
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. _

_   
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes _

_   
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;  
_

* * *

  
A long time ago, the Isles of Britannia lay nestled in the deep blue sea that surrounded it, it’s waters calm and steady.

But the two Kingdoms of Britannia had been at war for years.

It had been a truly long and bloody war, with no end in sight coming anytime soon.

To the North, the Royal House of Schofield had only one Prince, the Crown Prince William Schofield.

He was shy and reserved, but very handsome.

Many of the land’s most beautiful and eligible ladies fawned over him, however he paid them no heed, preferring to immerse himself in the study of books and combat. 

Then there was the other house - The Royal House of Blake to the South.

That Royal Court had two Princes.

The eldest, Joseph Blake had abdicated in his quest to become the greatest knight in all of the lands, leaving the title of Crown Prince to fall to his younger brother, Thomas.

Thomas was innocent and sweet, with some taking him to be naïve and far too lenient.

Still, both brothers knew how to defend themselves in a fight and were trained to the best standard in the land.

None of the Princes wished to be involved in the war.

They longed for the days when they could safely travel to another Kingdom without causing a diplomatic incident.

Alas, their fathers were blinded by hatred for one another, years of blood spilled on either side made reconciliation impossible.

One particular battle was planned by the House of Schofield, for the middle of summer.

They were to meet on the great plains in the Midlands - it was looking to be another brutal stalemate, filled with needless losses and William was already dreading it. 

No matter _how_ he pleaded his father to call off the battle, the other had not listened, far too driven for revenge for the death of his brother, William’s uncle.

Before he had left the castle in dismay, his father had told him to meet them in the royal tent in their camp, some way back from the front line.

Grudgingly, he’d travelled down separately to his father, dressed in his suit of armour, almost melting in the baking heat.

When he finally arrived at the entrance to the camp after a long and arduous journey, he instantly noticed how the plains were awash with noise.  


Thousands of soldiers milling around, preparing for the battle, fetching extra swords or chainmail.

It was bright with life, however as he proceeded further to the front, he felt a tangible change in the mood.

Soldiers passed him in relative silence now, their heads down, a somber silence taking the place of excited chatter.

William knew they would all most likely be dead tomorrow. It made him feel sick.

He finally located his fathers tent and stepped inside, grateful for the relief from the blinding sunlight.

“Father.” Prince William greeted his father and the crowd present with a solemn bow, all of the guards turning to attention.

“Ah! _Wonderful_, so glad you’re here my boy.” King Schofield thundered, clapping his son on the shoulder.

“We have all been discussing our plan for tonight.”

“_Tonight_? Father I thought the battle was tomorrow morning-” William asked in alarm, staring in disbelief at his fathers words.

The King guffawed, taking his son across the tent to where the battle map had been lain on the table.

“We strike tonight, my dear boy. They will never see us coming and we will finally clinch victory.” His father explained and pointed out on the map that had been scouted, just how delayed the other camp had been in finishing preparations.

William could see that if they remained in the state of disarray that they seemed to be on this map, every single soldier in that camp would die.

He watched on in horror as his father and advisors discussed a surprise attack at midnight, no consideration given to the almost sacred rules of combat.

They discussed with glee how they would flank the camp under the cover of darkness, then pummel them with arrows of fire, leading them right into the arms of the enemy.

It would leave the enemy  with no chance to prepare, or escape.

_It wasn’t honourable, it wasn’t how they did things. It wasn’t fighting fair and it was utterly barbaric. _William thought bitterly as he watched on.

“Father I-” He tried to interject and voice his concerns, however his father dismissed him and turned back to the map.

The young Prince knew that he could not stand by and watch, not if he was ever to be seen as a just and noble King to his people.

_ A victory snatched by cheating was no victory at all. _

And so, he gave a quick excuse to the guards stood beside the tent mouth before slipping into the trees away from his father’s base camp.

He waited for the sun to go down to avoid being spotted and as soon as William saw the last rays of pink fall below the horizon, he began to head over the fields to the enemy camp.

The journey was longer than he had expected, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds, leaving him almost no light to navigate with.  
  


But the Prince knew he had to warm them, even if it meant his own father was going to kill him and he’d be seen as a traitor.

He finally got to the camp just before midnight and approached with his hands raised.

Instantly, five or six guards charged at him, their swords drawn in seconds.

“Wait! Stop! Please!” He called as one of them grabbed him and sent him tumbling to his knees.

The guards turned to him, in anger and revulsion, one even asked, “Who the hell are you?”

William swallowed in fear, kneeling and keeping his hands aloft, “Please! I’m from the other camp! I’m here to warn you! Please listen to me!”

At that moment, a Knight appears from the mouth of a tent, coming to see what all the commotion is.

William could swear he recognised him, but couldn’t be sure in the weak moonlight and sparse torchlight.

“What the hell is going on here?” The Knight asked, gesturing to William.

“Please, just _listen_ to me.” He turns to the Knight, desperate, “They’re planning a surprise attack, at midnight-”

“Why would they send someone to warn us?” The Knight furrowed his brow, studying the other.

“I’ve come alone, because it’s dishonourable, I do not agree with it.” He explained, realizing now the danger he was in as he looked around.

“Then I thank you for the warning.” The Knight chuckled darkly, then smirked at the guards surrounding them.

“_Kill him_.”

He felt the dull thud of something hitting the back of his skull, before the world went black.


	2. the meadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas brings the soldier to a safe house, revisiting childhood memories and setting both Princes on a path that will change the fate of their Kingdoms, forever.

The Crown Prince of the South, Thomas Blake was in the middle of discussing the battle plan with his father when he heard it.

A commotion, outside.

A shuffle, then a cry of pain as someone was struck and a thud as they fell to the dirt.

Concerned, he excused himself to his father and the advisors and stepped outside to see what was going on.

Instantly, he spotted an enemy soldier lying on the ground, his temple soaked in blood, rivulets of scarlet seeping into the heat baked dirt.

One of the guards paused at the sight of the Prince, his sword moments from plunging into the soldier’s skull.

“What in God’s name happened here?” Thomas demanded and everyone around him froze in place.

One dared to speak, nervous at the thought of incurring the wrath of the Prince,  “A traitor, sire. He came to warn us of an impending attack.”

“Then what are you doing? He could have given us more information, you imbecile.” Thomas seethed, pushing the soldiers aside and running over to check the man was still alive.

He was alive, only just.

Thomas inspected the man’s head - It seemed the soldier had lost a lot of blood and worryingly, was still bleeding.

He beckoned for his physician to attend to him, and as the man began to check the wound, a flaming arrow landed in the ground beside them.

The prince’s eyes widened and he rose to stand.

The Knight who had commanded his soldiers to kill the soldiers moments prior, realised his mistake.

He opened his mouth to apologize to the Prince, who dismissed him angrily, waving him away with a hand.

  
Thomas was incensed by his lack of insight.

Such a valuable source of information gifted to them and his _foolish_, impulsive brother had been about to run him through.

“If this man is telling the truth about an ambush, we are not prepared. Tell the men to fall back. I’m going to the safe house, have him taken there. And _Joseph_, make sure he’s alive when I get there, or father will have your head on a spike come morning light.”

Joe stared in disbelief at his younger brother, holding back his ire, before his mouth settled into a thin line.  
  


“Very well, Thomas.”

Thomas left the soldier with his brother, hoping the other would not do anything stupid and ran through the chaos sweeping the camp to where the horses were kept.

Barely thinking, he jumped onto his horse and rode to the woods to the south.

  
He knew this route by heart as soon as he got to the long road, walled on either side by trees.

It was a journey he had taken endless times as a child. A route that he could never forget.

_A faint memory, years old now and blurred came to the surface._

_His brother sat beside him in the carriage, their mother smiling at them as the trees passed in a blur. _

_Joseph pointed out the birds nestled among the trees, the squirrels that climbed the trunks._

_How the forest was filled with life, on the surface it seemed empty, dead but you have to look deeper, his brother told him._

_Look for the details, no_ _thing is ever what it seems._

The sound of his two guards catching up to him was a welcome one.

Thomas knew they were not far behind, he could hear the hooves of their horses just trailing feet away.

They rode for a little over half an hour almost at full speed, going deeper and deeper into the woods until finally, the clearing appeared.

Their old summer home glowed white in the moonlight. The royal cottage was nestled at the edge of a meadow, facing out onto the meadow itself.

Behind the cottage, a slow, bubbling river fed into a pond.

It was idyllic, beautiful, and once upon a time it had been the site of many wonderful summers as a family. 

But neither of the young princes had visited this cottage in years and while it had been maintained, it was now merely a shadow of its former self.

This place reminded him of being young, when his mother was still alive. Happier times.

_Certainly happier than now_, he thought bitterly as he dismounted his horse and watched the guards and Joe pull the soldier from the saddle.

He felt relief as he noticed that along the journey, a court physician had managed to stop the bleeding.

However the man still seemed to be in a bad state.

He was like a rag doll, completely limp in the guards arms as they carried him in to the house.

The guards laid him out on one of the beds, while Thomas watched anxiously in the doorway.

He felt his heart fluttering with nerves as the physician stitched the wound together, still not even a single sound from the other man as the needle pierced his skin.

Joe’s men had imparted a nasty blow - the wound was ragged, the skin of his temple split in such a way that even a skilled seamstress would struggle to stitch back into place.

This soldier could give them valuable, perhaps even _vital_ information to finally end the reign of the cruel and unjust King Schofield.

It was crucial that he survived, he could be the key to finally end this decades old war.

Thomas only hoped that the injury would not prove fatal before they could extract what they might need from him.

He dreaded to think if the enemy had another surprise attack planned and this soldier knew. 

If he died, then that information went with him.

The man didn’t stir as the physician flushed the wound with alcohol and bandaged it up. 

Thomas began ushering the guards out once he was finished and his physician turned to him with a grim expression.

“He is stable, your highness. He has lost a lot of blood, but I believe, with time, he may recover.” He explained, wringing the cloth empty of scarlet into the bowl.

Thomas watched as the physician began to apply some salve to the soldiers split lip, mesmerised by the odd, enchanting beauty of him.

The physician caught his stare and, _thankfully_, Thomas thought, mistook it for exhaustion and being in a daze.

“Sire. May I suggest you retire? He will not wake for some time and it has been a long night for you. The guards will be able to ensure he is safe-“

The soldier moaned in pain, as though he’d heard them mention the word “Guards.” and feared another onslaught.

Unable to stop himself, the Prince rushed to his side and lifted his head to slide another pillow under him.

He knew it was ridiculous, for a Prince to be tending to an enemy soldier like a nurse maid, but he could not bring himself to care.

He didn’t trust his men not to run the man through and Thomas was desperate to find out as much as he could from him.

The soldier still didn’t wake, but his moans quietened as Thomas gently reached for his bandaged hand, holding it tight.

“Leave us.” Thomas said quietly, his physician hesitating for a moment before taking his leave.

The prince studied the soldier by the pale moonlight through the window. 

He was certainly handsome enough, with the blood cleaned away.

Soft tufts of dark brown hair showed through the bandages and his features were fair, perhaps even attractive if his skin was not such a ghostly pallor.

Thomas gently stroked the other’s hand, trying to offer some form of comfort, knowing the man must have been in pain.

“It’s okay.” He whispered, softly, “I won’t allow them to hurt you. If you can hear me, rest.”

The soldier’s breathing slowed and Thomas kept hold of his hand, almost afraid that if he was to let go, the other would never wake.

They stayed like that until dawn broke, when Thomas began to surrender to sleep, having been awake for so long.

He gently extracted his fingers from the soldier’s  grip and made his way outside for some fresh air before he retired to bed.

Thomas found Joe almost immediately after stepping out of the doorstep.

His brother was watching the sun come up, sat on the tree stump just in front of the house.

“He’s a traitor, Thomas. We have no use for him.” Joseph spoke into the morning air, without needing to turn around.

His brothers voice was low enough not to reverberate around the clearing.

“He can give us information on the Northern family.” Thomas countered, only for the other to shake his head, huffing out a quiet laugh.

“If we don’t kill him, his own soldiers will. Thomas, he’s a dead man walking.” His brother interrupted, standing up and brushing the dirt off his tunic.

“I need to rest. I _suggest_ you try not to bash our informant’s head in again, _brother_.” Thomas said coldly and returned to the house without another look back.

The Prince fell asleep almost instantly, sleep taking him as soon as his head touched the pillows.

Not even the blinding sunlight was enough to keep him awake as he drifted away to sweet dreams of his childhood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was really, truly, horrid to write. 
> 
> i tried to make it as long as possible for you since the first chapter was short.
> 
> hope you enjoy and as always, i adore comments - they inspire me to keep going through writers block!


	3. the lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> William begins to heal and soon finds himself growing closer and closer to his saviour, Prince Thomas.
> 
> But as they grow closer, unwelcome news arrives from court and William will have to make a choice.
> 
> Either go willingly into the Lion's den, or lose his Prince, forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the explicit chapter! you have been forewarned!

The next few days in the safe house, nestled deep in the woods, found a certain young Prince Thomas spending the next few days with the wounded soldier. 

The Prince remained beside the soldiers bed near constantly, cleaning his wounds and wiping his brow whenever the man appeared to be uncomfortable. 

On the third day, the soldier’s eyes began to flutter open and Thomas sat up in his chair, watching as the other dragged in a shaky breath. 

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. You were wounded quite badly.” Thomas explained and the other man coughed. 

He quickly handed him a cup of water, from which the soldier gratefully slurped, making quite a mess. 

“Thank you.” The soldier croaked and slowly looked up at the other, “Where am I?” 

“You’re in a safe house, just outside the border. You saved a lot of my men, soldier. Pray tell, what is your name?”

The other man blinked at him, a vacant stare in his eyes. 

“I can’t...I don’t remember.” He replies, his voice wobbling. 

How could he not remember? 

The man seemed to search for something, anything but he comes up completely blank. 

_Panic begins to set in, its icy tendrils taking hold in his veins._

William can’t breathe.  _His memory is gone, destroyed-_

“Hey. Shh. It’s okay. Breathe.” Thomas held his hand, “You can stay here until your memory comes back.” 

William scrubbed his face with his free hand and tried not to cry.

_Why can’t I remember_? He thought desperately. 

Thomas watched the man with fascination and a little sympathy.

He knew the other taken a hard blow but until now, he hadn't believed Joseph’s men had done that much damage. 

“Just breathe. Come on, your name, surely you must remember that?” Thomas coaxed and the other man closed his eyes, trying to think. 

Thomas noticed the necklace around his neck, i t glinted silver in the light.

He took it between his fingers and tried to analyse the coin’s inscription. 

_“William.”_ It read and he looked at the other, testing the name in his mouth.

“William? Is that your name?” The soldier blinked at him, and something seemed to dawn over his face. 

“I think...it sounds familiar...” He replied, looking at the glint of the necklace in Thomas’s fingers. 

“Is that mine?” 

“Yes, I presume. You were wearing it when we found you. Can you remember what happened?” 

“I...my head hurts.” He admitted, holding his temple and wincing. 

“You had a blow to the head. William, do you need some more water?” 

“I do. God, it’s so- bright.” He squinted, trying to cover his eyes. 

Thomas quickly closed the drapes, shielding the man from the sunlight. 

“You’ve been asleep for the best part of 3 days, don’t worry, it’ll come back.” 

“I can’t, I can’t see.” He whimpered and Thomas held his hands, trying to comfort him. 

“It’ll come back. Hey. It’s okay.” Thomas pulled him into an embrace, something that Joe and he did often when the other freaked. 

It seemed to calm the man and he leaned into it, his breathing slow. 

Joseph had used it for Thomas the first few times they’d killed someone in combat in trying to settle his younger brother.

“Rest.” The prince said softly, pushing him back into the pillows, “I’ll keep watch.” 

The man settled without argument, falling back into a deep sleep within moments. 

* * *

When he woke next, it was night time and his room was empty. 

His vision, as the other boy had promised him was indeed returning.

Now, he was able to see shapes and shadows, although the more specific details eluded him. 

“Hello?” He called, softly to the room - suddenly being very aware of the urgent need to urinate. 

William scrambled for a chamber pot and managed to find one under the bed, finding sweet relief before sliding it back under with shaking hands and pulling the sheets back over himself. 

The door opened slowly and someone approached the bed with almost whisper quiet footsteps.

“Hello, is everything alright?”

_Oh, his friends voice was music to his ears_, he felt a wash of relief at the sound. 

“I simply woke alone and feared-“ 

“Nothing to fear here.” Thomas promised and William felt the bed dip beside him.

The scent of the other suddenly filled his nose, a pleasant mix of roses and bergamot. 

“You smell nice.” William remarked suddenly and Thomas laughed, blushing.

For once, he was glad the soldier couldn’t see it. 

“I had a bath this morning. If you’re feeling better tomorrow, would you like to take one?” 

William smiled,  “Is that your way of saying I stink?” 

Another peal of laughter, _heavenly_ to William’s ears and he leaned forward. 

“You have been in bed for a week. It would do you some good, I think. Tell me, William, how is your vision?” 

“It’s getting better. I can see shapes, shadows now. I pray that it will return in full, I would like to see your face.” 

“My face?” Thomas sounded startled, “My face is nothing compared to yours, which I would be inclined to compare to the sun. One doesn’t fare too well for looking too long.” 

William tried to decipher the words of his friend and Thomas sighed, leaning in closer to clarify for this clearly obtuse soldier. 

“That is, when we gaze too long at the sun, it makes it difficult to see anything else. Nothing else could hold a candle to it.”

_Oh_. William breathed out, a sudden blush rising to his cheeks, _Thomas was flirting with him. And quite openly so, too_. 

“Then, perhaps you should follow the learnings of Icarus _dear_, and not fly too close to the sun.” 

“It’s rather difficult to follow that advice when a man is already airborne.” 

_A challenge then, _ Thomas thought, rising to his feet.

The Prince left a delicate kiss on William's cheek as goodnight and bore his goodbye. 

William caught his wrist as he went to leave, suddenly wearing a frown on his handsome face. 

“Yes?” Thomas asked, holding still.

“Please, I feel that you have paid me many compliments in our brief encounter. Allow me to pay you a farewell one in return.” 

Thomas sat back down on the bed, curious. 

William followed the line of his arm up to his shoulder and then across to his jaw, tracing Thomas’s mouth with his fingertips. 

He felt the other shudder under him and knew that now, he had his attention. 

“We cannot see angels, yet we know of their presence and their actions to protect and shelter us.  
I feel that I have mine beside me right now and I cannot see him.  
But he has been by my side, nonetheless and I wish to ask a favour.” 

Thomas was open mouthed.

No one had ever spoken to him with such soft words, or with such reverence before.

_Not even as a Prince._

“What favour would you ask?” 

“I would ask that my angel, should he wish, lean down and kiss me-"

"-For I feel that his touch is the strongest healing any mere mortal could wish for.” William continued and looked at his Prince.

Even though Thomas knew he could not truly see his face yet, he still felt as though William was staring into his soul.

The Prince felt as though he could barely breathe; a little sideswiped by such bold requests from the soldier.

But he was not disgusted, not at all. He was entranced, _intrigued_.

“I should wish to kiss you upon the mouth.” Thomas admitted softly, leaning forward. 

William dropped his hand and wrapped it around Thomas’s waist. 

“That is where a lover would kiss.” His soldier pointed out, making Thomas smile. 

He leaned in and made one more point before pressing their lips together, 

“Then if I was you, I would thank god himself for bestowing an angel as your lover.” 

Thomas kissed first, somewhat chaste at first. 

William was the one to explore, his mouth opening into the kiss, allowing the Prince to follow suit. 

They kissed for a few minutes more, until Thomas broke away, breathing hard. 

“An angel should bid goodnight before, like Icarus he plunges, not to a mortal end but into temptation.” He explained, his face burning,  
  
_Almost as though he'd spent a full day in the summer sun._

As he stood up to leave, William smiled softly to himself in the bed. 

“It’s bold of you to assume that you are the only one falling.” William replied with a wry smile, just before Thomas closed the door. 

_Sleep did not come easily for Thomas that night._

Lust tore through his soul, body and mind, consuming him as he tried in desperation to fall asleep. 

When sleep finally took the Prince, he found no respite from his desire.  His thirst for the taste of William's mouth did not evade him, even then.

Thomas had the sweetest dream of taking the soldier in his own bed.

It felt so real that when he awoke to find his belly sticky with his own seed, it was entirely a surprise to find his bed cold beside him. 

He had the the servants wash his bedding that morning, cheeks aflame as he handed the soiled laundry over.

The Prince decided that he would bathe that morning again, while the servants washed his bedding and clothes for the week.

After all, he was still left feeling somewhat dirty from the images his mind had provided last night.

He theorised that w hile his own clothes from the eve of the battle would most likely be ruined by William bleeding over them,  
  
Some should have been salvageable from the bloodstains.

Luckily, his soldier’s clothes had survived mostly unscathed, thanks to the suit of armour he had been wearing. 

Thomas went to collect William deciding that it would be most prudent for his soldier to bathe while their clothes were drying.

_What better feeling for his lovely soldier, than to step from a bath, clean into warm, dry clothes._

William was still sleeping when Thomas entered his chamber and the Prince had to gently tap him on the shoulder to wake him up. 

“Good morning, sunshine. I have a bath running for you.” 

William moaned and stirred, sitting up and stretching his arms out with a yawn.

When he rubbed his eyes and opened them, Thomas could instantly tell something was different. 

William was  looking at him, different to before in that now he seemed to see him and was studying his face intensely in the weak morning sunlight.

“_Dear god_.” He breathed, “You  are beautiful.” 

Thomas flushed and looked away. The way that William spoke was so in earnest, he would have been hard pressed not to blush. 

“You have the face of an angel to match your spirit.” He added, raising a thumb to brush along the Prince's jawline in awe.

“I see your eyesight has improved then.” Thomas remarked drily. 

“Only after kissing you last night. I wonder, my shoulder is hurting-“ 

“Your bath, William.” Thomas smiled and helped the other man out of bed. 

“Lead the lofty way.” 

* * *

Steam rose off the water, and lilies, roses and lavender all floated on the surface of the bath. 

William let the towel slip from around his hips, the cloth falling to his feet onto the cold stone floor. 

He slipped into the water, moaning as the heat lapped at his pale flesh. 

The warmth brought welcome relief to his aching body, his sides and legs black and blue from his encounter with Joseph.

As he slipped down further into the water, he submerged his entire body, letting air bubbles slip from his mouth. 

He resurfaced, wiping his face and laid back.  As he closed his eyes, he could not help but letting out a sigh. 

The scent of the flower water flooded his nostrils and he decided that despite their lovely aroma, it wouldn’t quite be enough for the week’s worth of grime. 

William grabbed the soap bar from the side, lathering up over his arms first.

As he worked up the suds, t he sound of the door unlocking gave him a terrible fright.

He jumped enough to make the water slosh over the sides. 

Thomas appeared around the door and gave him a playful smile before sauntering through. 

"Hello.” 

“Uh, hello-" William replied, suddenly feeling rather self conscious.

“Is there room for one more?” 

William looked around him, puzzled.

_Well, certainly there was._

_There was most likely room for another six more, with how large this tub was. _

Thomas had tried to bathe in his own chambers, but he hadn't been able to shake the sticky feeling from his dreams with a mere bucket of lukewarm water.

_What better excuse than to get in, with the cause of that feeling, into a hot, soapy bath? _

“You should probably undress first.” William joked, then watched in awe as Thomas began to disrobe. 

The Prince lifted his dress shirt over his head first, revealing miles and miles of milky white skin and chiselled muscles along his stomach and chest. 

He turned around to undo his trousers next, struggling with the fiddly clasp until they dropped off his hips and to the floor in a heap. 

William watched in eye watering appreciation as the Prince turned around. 

His thighs were perfect, thicker than any other he had ever known.

He had a hard time keeping his eyes trained on Thomas’s face as he stepped down into the tub. 

Thomas, however didn’t seem to have any problems being forthcoming.

He slid towards William and took the soap from the side where he had left it and began lathering up the other’s chest. 

William watched in hunger as Thomas rinsed his chest, and then instructed him to turn around. 

Thomas massaged his back and shoulders, the movements soapy and slick. 

It was enough to draw a moan from his lips, it was so good.

Thomas was easing out all of the tension and knots in his muscles with his talented fingers. 

When William imagined those same fingers concentrated on another part of his body, he had to imagine cold, repulsive things to stop his length from hardening in the water. 

“Would you like me to cleanse your hair?” Thomas asked sweetly and William opened his eyes, tilted his head back to look at the other in disbelief.

_He must know what he is doing to me, he must do._

“Yes please.” William answered and  The prince reached for another bottle.

William presumed it was meant for hair instead of the skin and watched as Thomas began to lather it up.

"Close your eyes." The Prince instructed and h is hands gently eased along William's head;

A gentle to and fro motion that felt so good, it gave him goosebumps. 

When Thomas added his fingertips into his hair, he swallowed down another moan and prayed.

He prayed to all the gods that he had ever learned of, that he did not become hard over his damn hair being cleansed. 

After what seemed like an hour of torture, Thomas finally told him to dunk.

William did so, obediently and upon rising he noticed the other greeting him with a frown. 

“It seems that I did not rid you of all of the dirt from your hair. Perhaps another round?” 

William swallowed.

_Thomas was definitely fucking with him._

_Any residual dirt should have been long gone with the extended cleansing he’d received._

“I’ll pass, thank you.” 

“Very well then. Just the oil to finish? It does make your hair rather shiny.” 

“Thomas, there is barely enough of my hair to shine.” 

“All the more reason to try it, make it grow.” 

William smirked and shrugged, leaning back against the side of the tub. 

“Very well then. Do your worst.” 

_If the shampoo had been torture, this was the fiery depths of hell._

Thomas had pressed right up against him and soft skin slid alongside his own as he worked.

He pressed the oil into his hair and massaged it in, far more deeply than he had done with the soap.

This time, William could not keep his moans down and they spilled over and out from his mouth in an uncontrollable fashion. 

“You should keep your voice down, they’ll think I’m doing things to you in here far worse than cleaning your hair.” Thomas remarked and giggled softly.

“Maybe your fingers shouldn’t be so wicked, then.” William countered his eyes still closed. 

Thomas decided to cut the hair oil part short, as his own cock was beginning to stir at the sounds William was making under him. 

“I believe I’m all done. Dunk and meet me downstairs for breakfast. Joseph wants to meet you.” 

William dunked and dimly heard Thomas getting out and dressing, his own eyes a little crossed from pleasure when he surfaced. 

He watched a robed Thomas shoot him a wink as he closed the door behind him.

Finally, William breathed out. 

_That boy would surely be the death of him. _

* * *

Joseph had decided to check up on his little brother and the soldier, around a week after the battle.

He had noted in the letters from his brother, how the soldier was recovering well and something else, too.

It was nearly impossibly to miss, how close they’d grown in such a short space of time.

Had he not known better, he might have believed his younger sibling was describing a lover in his letters.

The eldest Prince decided to join them both for breakfast that morning, to meet this ‘William’ properly.

He also planned to find out more about this soldier, who had clearly bewitched his younger brother something ridiculous. 

Thomas arrived first, looking relaxed in his green robes.

Joseph extracted little bits of information out of Thomas about this William fellow, as they began to eat.

“Do you love him?” He teased and reached for another slice of bread. 

Thomas’s head snapped to him in alarm, his eyes wide.

He tried to play it off with an eye roll

“Love him? Don’t be so ridiculous, brother I’ve known him less than a week-“ 

“And yet he’s all you’ve talked about.” Joe replied, spreading a generous helping of jam onto his slice.

“I’m simply trying to convey my excitement that we have an informant to assist us against the North.” 

Joseph’s eyebrows could have touched the ceiling, the speed at which they went up. 

“Is that what we’re calling it?” He asked in response, barely able to hide his mirth. 

“Calling it what?”

William stood in the doorway, his question lingering in the air.

Thomas noted that he looked rather presentable in his new robes.

He had chosen the midnight blue velvet, himself for William, to compliment the other's eyes. 

The fabric also suited his milky skin wonderfully and the youngest Prince drank in the sight of him, eyes wide. 

Joseph looked between the two of them and amusement flickered across his face. 

“A miracle.” The eldest prince explained, and William tore his eyes away from his younger brother to look at the elder. 

“How you have recovered so quickly. My brother’s staff must be wonderful care givers.” 

Thomas kicked his brother under the table, Joseph managed to hide the wince under a charming smile. 

“I cannot lie, your brother’s hospitality has been wonderful.” William admitted, a soft blush creeping over his cheeks. 

“Come, join us for breakfast. I’m sure you’ll wish to know when Thomas will depart for court.” Joseph gestured to the empty seat beside him.

They sat and talked about King Blake’s plans to bring the youngest Prince back to court, as they needed to plan a fair reprisal for the sabotaged ambush. 

“Of course, you are most welcomed, William. My father informs me that had you perished, we may have lost an entire battalion along with you.” Joseph explained and bit into an apple. 

Thomas gave his brother a baleful stare across the table,

One that he hoped indicated how much he would like his brother to _choke_ on said apple, before speaking. 

“The case is not may, dear brother, but would. We would have lost a battalion without your intervention. Our Kingdom owes you a great deal, William-” Thomas added.

“-Which brings me to my point.” Joseph said, interrupting his younger brother,  
  
“My father has offered you a place at court.  
He hasn’t indicated what you’d be doing yet, but I’m sure we can figure it out.” 

William looked at the both of them in surprise, before suddenly rising. 

“I, I must go outside briefly. Please allow me some fresh air for a moment.” 

“Of course.” Joe smirked and watched the other hightail it out of the dining hall and into the meadow outside. 

“You  _idiot_ .” Thomas hissed, as soon as he was out of earshot,  
“I’ve been gently gaining his trust and you show up, telling him I have to leave for court and his choices are come with me, into the enemy lines, or _fuck off_?” 

Joseph rolled his eyes, “Don’t be so sensitive, Tom, it doesn’t suit you. Besides, why are you so upset? Do you love him, or something?” 

Thomas stopped breathing and looked at his brother, frantic.

“Oh you do, don’t you?” 

The youngest prince tried to shake his head in desperation, but it was no use.

Joseph always knew when his little brother had fallen lovesick.

He started to shake with laughter and stood up, gathering his things. 

“Go and fetch lover boy. Tell him father says you can delay returning to court until September.” 

“September?” Thomas splutters, “Father would never allow it! That’s a whole month!” 

“Nearly a little over a whole month and besides, it will give you plenty of time to get him used to you.  
I would remind you to warn him that he won’t be the only one with exclusive access to your bed chamber.” 

Thomas threw an apple at his brother in ire; it missed him anyway as he ducked out of the room.

His brother's raucous laughter vanished with him down the hall. 

“Arsehole!” He shouts after him, “At least I’m not going to be a bachelor in my thirties!” 

The sound of the front door closing reached him.

Thomas leaned forward and scrubbed his face with his hands. 

_A month here, with William. _

_Oh, this was going to be a disaster. _

* * *

William sat in the meadow, leaning against a tree and tried to regulate his breathing, to try and calm himself. 

He was expected to go to the enemy court, where the soldiers had tried to kill him. 

His chest felt tight as he considered it. 

_A proven traitor? They’d want him dead as soon as he arrived._

That wasn’t even considering the fact that if his feelings towards Thomas were to be revealed, he’d be executed for sure. 

_Lusting after their golden Prince?_

He would be lucky to not face torture for it before his death. 

William is so lost in his thoughts that he missed the sound of Thomas approaching in the soft grass.

The other came to a stop beside him, expression concerned.

“Everything alright?” 

William looked up at the Prince and tried to offer a weak smile. 

“I’m a little nervous.” 

“Hmm?” Thomas sat down beside his soldier, scooting up a little so they were both leaning against the tree. 

“I fear the reprisals I will face, should I come with you to court, but I also fear returning to the North.” He admitted and lifted a daisy from beside him.

He gave it to Thomas, who regarded the  flower for a brief moment, before he tucked it behind his ear. 

“You would not be considered a traitor by our court." Thomas explained and plucked another daisy from the grass beside them.

"The north planned an ambush attack, outlawed in the moral code of battle.  
By informing us, you saved a lot of lives and did the lawful thing.  
There will be a lot of men in the court who’s brothers, sons and fathers are still alive because of what you did.” He continued, reassuring the other.

William gave him a concerned look, so Thomas took his hand between his own and and gently stroked it with a thumb.

_Just like he had done when the other was bed bound._

“Come to court with me, William.” Thomas asked softly.

He leaned forward to place his own flower behind the other's ear.

“When do we need to leave?” William asked and bit his lip.

“Not until September. My father has given us a bit longer until we return.” 

Relief washed over William and he sank back onto the bark.

_A month. So he would not have to face the court immediately, then._

_That was a relief. _

The weeks passed by with the heat of summer gradually waning.

William and Thomas grew closer still, with the two of them barely spending a moment apart.

Joseph had, as promised, delayed their return to court by just over a month.

He had informed their father that William was still too weak to travel. 

It was a lie, and a blatant one at that.

William was strong, at near perfect health just a few weeks post the eve of the battle.

He worked fast and deftly on the land at the safe house; c arrying firewood and thick bales of hay as if they were nothing. 

Thomas watched him each night while he helped the cook prepare the evening meal. 

He knew it should not bother him, his soldier preparing to live the life of a servant at court.

These would all be skills that he would need, yet he felt a deep longing for the other when they had to be parted.

He could not deny the bone deep ache he felt for the fair haired soldier;  
  
William had proven himself to be intelligent, strong and quick witted. 

His tongue was sharp, almost too sharp.

He would speak to Thomas in every European language he knew of, each night.

Every night, t hey sat beside the fire together, with a glass of wine and watched the flames lick away at the tinder.

Thomas sighed and looked over at the other while he spoke another tongue as fluently as if it were his mothers.

He longed for something more than the strange, house-sharing acquaintanceship that they had seemed to settle into.

Thomas desperately wished to have the relationship he had with William just before his brother's arrival.

He guessed that the other was shutting him off in preparation for court.

Thomas needed to find a way to coax that bold, sweet soldier back out.

He was hiding for now, under a disguise of platonic friendship. 

If he didn't do it before they went to court, he feared he would never hear William speak to him the way he had, again.

The night that he cannot bear it anymore, it is a heatwave and the air is thick and choking, even at night. 

It should have been an ordinary night for them; supper was finished and they lay beside one another, enjoying the fire. 

“William, I-“ 

His soldier looked over to him, allowing his eyes drop to Thomas’s lips before he forces himself to look back up.

Thomas cannot bear the professionalism act a moment longer.

It almost happened in slow motion, he could not stop himself.  The Prince l eaned across and kissed William, deep with passion. 

William gave up a surprised moan and kissed back for a few seconds, before he stopped and abruptly pulled back, breathing hard. 

While his memories of his past life were hazy, he remembered with clarity the strict laws of the North;

_Those of the same sex were not allowed to kiss, or lie together._

  
  
It was impossible to forget the violence that those who broke the law faced.  
  
He felt the fear of god distilled into his veins, making him suddenly petrified that a servant had caught or heard them kissing. 

“Thomas, I can’t.” 

“Why not?” Thomas asked, confused.

_William had been enjoying that, why the sudden need to pull away?_

“It’s outlawed, illegal.” William explained, as if it were obvious.

The Prince looked at him in bewilderment,  “Not here, it's not.” 

“You don’t understand, it’s-"

“We are_ safe_, William. You are _safe_, with _me_, I promise.  
But if you don’t feel comfortable, I’ll stop.  
But please understand no one is going to hurt us for kissing.” Thomas insisted and dropped his hands.  They had been sliding up William’s dress shirt. 

William finally relaxed at that, his shoulders loosening and he leaned back into the seat. 

While they didn’t kiss again that evening, William no longer felt frightened of his feelings for the other.

But he still knew that once they returned to court, the romance could not continue.

_It absolutely could not._

* * *

The next few days went by, with Thomas using nearly every single trick in his book to try and break William’s resolve. 

He knows the other wanted it, wanted him.

He could tell by the way William broke away from each searing kiss, the ones that are suddenly happening nearly every night, with great reluctance. 

Thomas can see the other battling with himself to not give in, something holding him back each time.

He could only guess that the North's rules for lovers like them were brutal and cruel beyond reason.

It's the only reason he could fathom as to why it was that William was so reluctant to progress beyond a chaste kiss or two.

Whatever the others reason was, he found himself fast running out of time. 

It was nearing the last few days now, before they had to return to court.

Almost all of the apples had ripened in the orchard and the heat had finally wavered a few days prior giving way to the cooler  winds of Autumn. 

The young Prince knew full well that when he had to return to court, William would withdraw even further into his shell.

He was a shy creature by nature and the busy life of court would not help at all.

Thomas channelled his frustration into picking the apples in the orchard, rising early one morning before the heat thickens.

While the heat was not as intense as it had been the evening they had first met,  
  
It was still uncomfortable to work in when Midday struck.

He had planned to work until just before noon, then he had packed a picnic for their lunch.

By the time William surfaced for breakfast, Thomas had already filled more than a few baskets with apples.

The fruits glinted red and shiny in the mid morning sunshine.

The Prince overshot the amount he could actually carry with one basket and turned, catching William watching.

He wore a wide smile across his face at the Prince struggling to pick up the basket. 

Thomas shot him a frustrated look and saw the other suppress a huff of laughter.

He was quietly amused as he walked over towards the younger.. 

William silently picked up the basket, a cheeky smile poorly disguised on his face, but he didn't say anything. 

They walked up to the farmhouse in relative silence for once.

Thomas noticed how it was beginning to feel comfortable and familiar between them, rather than awkward.

William set the basket down at the porch just as Thomas collapsed down onto one of the benches. 

The Prince wiped the sweat from his brow with a hanker-chief. 

The way William looked at him as he did made him feel funny, off-kilter. 

He cleared his throat and brought up the relatively innocent subject of their lunch.

He hoped it might bring some semblance of normality back and clear the tension. 

“I’ve made us a picnic today. And the first cider batch is finally ready.” Thomas stated, stretching out his sore muscles across the bench, “That is, if you’d like to come.” 

“I would.” William replied and joined him in sitting down. 

The quiet tension between them is back again, despite his best efforts to clear it.

It has been escalating for days and today, along with the heat it almost feels stifling, choking. 

Thomas forces himself to stand before he does anything stupid again and sends Will running for the hills, ruining any chance he has of getting more than a kiss from the other. 

“I’ll go fetch it then. We’ll go by foot, the lake’s not far.  
Best set off now, before the heat gets too much.” Thomas said and hurried away, glad for the excuse to get away from William's piercing stare.

Their journey didn’t take long, but by the time they had packed everything into a basket and set off, the heat had intensified to a point that was on the uncomfortable side of hot. 

William had already removed his shirt ten minutes into the walk and Thomas had to force himself to stare ahead at the line of trees.

They would eventually give way to a beautiful sand banked lake, with sparkling blue water that stretched for miles. 

After they arrived at the lake, they found a nice spot under some willow trees that shielded them and the food from the sun. 

William set out the blankets and immediately stripped down to nearly nothing, heading straight for the refreshing water. 

Thomas, however decided he would remain under the tree with their food should any squirrels come.

He watched William swim for a little while, before laying onto his back and snoozing.

A few warm rays of sunlight tickled his face through the leaves, but he didn't mind.

It was a better choice than accidentally catching sight of William's rippling muscles in the water.

When William returned near nude and dripping wet, Thomas decided to roll himself onto his front and pretended to read one of his elder brothers books that he had brought along.

He had no interest in anything bound between the pages, but it gave him reasonable excuse for averting his eyes when William sat beside him. 

“Won’t you join me? The water’s really quite fresh.” William asked, slightly out of breath from his laps in the lake.

“I’m fine, thank you. Quite content reading my book.” Thomas replied, not daring to avert his eyes from the pages beneath him.

He knew that if he saw the sculpted marble chest, or looked into those deep blue eyes he’d be destroyed in seconds. 

For someone who made a excellent show of avoiding his physical affection, he seemed to do a grand job of tempting him into giving it. 

Thomas briefly wondered if the other was being so bold and far more familiar due to them being so isolated.

_No one was around for miles, here._

His theory was confirmed when the icy back of a hand pressed to his cheek.

He sighed and suppressed a shiver that had nothing to do with the temperature. Thomas forced himself not to turn into it as William spoke.

“You feel rather warm. Perhaps we should have some cider, I could use a drink.” 

William wrapped a blanket around himself and fetched the cider bottle from the basket.

He poured out two glasses for them and  Thomas finally set his book aside.

The Prince's arousal seemed to be subsiding with less of William’s skin on show.

Thomas sat up and took the glass, taking a sip. 

William seemed to be less shy about his own drink, finishing his rather quickly before refilling his glass. 

They finished the bottle in no time at all and  William regarded a giggling Thomas with amusement, not in much of a better state himself.

He tried to sit up and promptly fell over, Thomas laughed at his clumsiness.

They both were quite merry, a moment of laughter between them as they found themselves leaning towards one another. 

William’s inhibitions seemed to have melted away when Thomas teased him with a long, slow kiss along his jaw. 

For once, the elder didn’t pull away, he smirked and then suddenly pinned the Prince to the rug. 

“Thomas.” He whispered, leaning over him. 

Thomas moaned, the other still cold and wet above him, the droplets landing on his face. 

Their lips met again and Thomas could feel William’s lips were still cold from his swim in the lake. 

When William reached his hand into Thomas’s breeches, the other let out a shaky gasp at the icy touch of his fingers along his sensitive, heated skin. 

Shy, reserved William seemed to have disappeared entirely as he stroked his Prince into delicious hardness without hesitation.

The elder licked the sounds of pleasure from his mouth with enthusiasm and Thomas felt heat spike in his gut.

The two of them kissed for what seemed like hours, tasting the cider on each other’s lips and feeling the sunlight warming their skin. 

They settled themselves into a comfortable position;  
  
Thomas on his back on the blankets, with William half kneeling above him. 

The elder began to divest Thomas of his clothes in between kisses and the Prince was eager to return the favour, his hands working frantically to disrobe his soldier.

William deliberately left the younger’s undergarments dangling off one ankle.  It left him free to push Thomas’s hips open, wrapping the Prince's legs around the blonde’s waist. 

William brought them closer still, thrusting along Thomas’s length. 

It felt incredible to Thomas, the slide of skin on skin burning through his blood.

It was far better than any spirit or wine in all the Kingdoms. 

William’s cock slipped on a thrust and caught the rim of the younger’s entrance, making both of them groan. 

“William, have you ever-“ Thomas panted, his face flushed, “-Had sex with a man before?” 

“No.” William admitted his expression bashful, “Am I doing it wrong?” 

Thomas let his head drop back on to the rug with a frustrated sigh. 

_Of course he had not. That would make things too easy, wouldn’t it? _

“You need, that is, _I_ need your fingers first. Here, give me your hand.” He explained; William obliged and offered the younger his fingers. 

Thomas immediately sucked on the digits enthusiastically, getting them dripping wet with his own spit.

William watched, enraptured and inhaled with the realisation that Thomas wasn’t intending him to be the receptive partner. 

He breathed a sigh of pleasure as Thomas released his fingers from his mouth with a pop and spread his legs wider. 

“Do you enjoy it, like this?” William asked in concern, he eyed the other warily, circling the rim of Thomas’s entrance.

“I love it. Now, put one in-” Thomas instructed and his hips jumped a little, as William pushed the first digit in.

Moans spilled from the Prince and  William paused, checking that Thomas was okay before pushing the same finger back in deeper. 

Thomas let out a strangled gasp as he did. His moans grew louder as William added another two fingers, sliding the digits up and into the Prince. 

Thomas began to move back onto his hand, chasing the sparks of pleasure that were now igniting along his spine. 

William was emboldened by his enjoyment, meeting the Prince’s eyes as he touched himself with slow, languid strokes to his own cock.

Thomas looked dazed and murmured a quiet, “Please.” to indicate that he was ready. 

William withdrew his fingers, before he spat into in his hand. He spread his saliva all over his length and gave himself another stroke for good measure. 

“You’ll need to go slow at first.” Thomas told him, breathing deeply.

He took William's cock between his fist and guided it to his entrance.

William held still for a few seconds waiting for the final nod from the younger before he would proceed. 

Thomas nods, breathes out, "Fuck me." and William couldn't deny him if he tried.

_Not even if my soul was on the line, _He told himself as he pushed in.

He followed the orders of his Prince to the letter, moving at an almost glacial pace into Thomas until he was fully seated inside him. 

William held still for a few seconds once he had gone all the way in.

He tried to imagine the cool water sliding over his skin, anything to save himself from exploding into the wet, tight heat that surrounded his length.

"Thomas." He moaned, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Thomas replied, a look of ectasy washing over his face, "Just move, please."

The first thrust is just bordering on the edge of pain and pleasure; a little too much for Thomas and he cries out. 

William shudders and presses his face into the others neck, pausing and letting him adjust. 

A small part of Thomas had hoped that William was not so big, as the entry had been a little on the sharp side without oil.

But as his soldier's cock brushed against his prostate, he found himself suddenly needing the other to move.

William remained almost motionless for a few more moments, catching his breath and allowing Thomas to do the same. 

“Move.” Thomas begged again and William held him close, kept his movements gentle, easy and shallow. 

William’s thrusts were like the waves on the ocean, controlled and moving at a steady, easy pace.

The riptide beneath them was dragging him further out to sea where his climax awaited.

Thomas closed his eyes and allowed himself to get lost in the feeling.

William was _huge_, so big that each thrust drags along his sensitive spots, turning his insides into molten steel.

The grass beneath them is soft and unyielding. Thomas clenched a fist into it, trying to gain some semblance of control back.

He was fighting against an endless stream of pleasure that his soldier was providing, almost drowning in it.

_Never, never in all my life has sex felt this good._

William punched a sound out of him he didn’t even think he was capable of making. 

The next thrust leaves pre-cum covering both of their stomachs, with Thomas's muscles going into spasm involuntarily around him. 

"I'm close, William, you're so big." He whimpered.

William grunts and gasps in response and for a virgin, Thomas marvelled at his iron will power.

His soldier was immaculate in controlling the pace, never going faster than the current tempo.

The Prince could see that control slipping, inch by perfect inch.

Normally, Thomas would have been _pleading_ by now for his partner to go faster and harder, but somehow, he can’t find it in himself to ask. 

_This_ is what he never knew he had needed. Every other man he had been with like this was comparable to a flash flood, _fast, quick and messy_. 

He normally needed to feel the roar in his ears and a burning flame in his stomach before he could reach completion. 

With William, it was like the tide, a series of gentle lapping waves that dragged him further under and left him smouldering, rather than burning. 

When Thomas came, it took him by surprise, as he came untouched, painting thick ropes of white onto their stomachs.

William watched him like he’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Thomas didn't break eye contact, even as William fucked him through his climax, milking every last drop that he could out of the Prince.

A flush that Thomas hadn’t even noticed began to creep it's way up William’s chest and neck.  His movements had become jerky and uncoordinated. 

His soldier apologised and gritted his teeth, gasping out a much welcomed, “I’m close.” 

Thomas couldn't find the energy to ask _what on God’s earth he could be sorry for, _and in the end, he doesn’t have to. 

William spilled inside the Prince with an almost silent moan, his last thrust the deepest so far. 

They remained still for a few moments as they caught their breaths.

William pulled out and Thomas cringed as he feels the other’s seed dripping out of him, mingled with their combined spit. 

He’d forgotten to tell the other to pull out, before he came.

But in all honesty, the Prince didn’t mind too much - even if it meant he'd be scooping the stuff out of himself later,

_Thank you very much, William._

He knew that he would be sore, walking back would hurt too, but he also can’t find it in himself to care about those things in the slightest, either. 

They collect their clothes and dress, only stopping for a few kisses here and there. 

Both of the young men decide to lay in the sun for a brief while to recover, still a little shocked at where exactly /that/ had came from. 

Eventually, the two men started to feel hungry and they sat up to retrieve the food.

Thomas stood first, walking over to the basket and limped slightly as he went. 

William noticed Thomas wincing in pain after each step and felt alarmed.

He stood up, stopping the other in his tracks and looked at him with a worried expression, “Are you hurt?” 

“A little. But it’s pleasant, I promise.” He assures the other, opening the basket and withdrawing a bunch of grapes and laying back on the blanket. 

The Prince suddenly looked comically like a Roman emperor, laying back amongst the grass and leisurely dropping grapes into his own mouth. 

“How can pain be pleasant?” William presses, still worried. Thomas sat up, a serene smile painted on his face. 

“The same way your muscles might ache after training. It’s a delicious soreness.” 

“Are you really sure I’ve not harmed you?” William asked anxiously and worried his lip between his teeth. 

Thomas sighed, reaching into the basket and retrieved one of the apples he’d picked earlier, handing it to William. 

“William. If you’d been harming me earlier, I would have told you to stop fairly quickly.  
Now, unless my memory is faltering, you did exactly as I asked and went slow and steady with me.” Thomas replied and watched as the other bit into his apple, contemplative.

_Perhaps a little too slow and steady_ , his minded added, but a sharp twinge just above his kidney informed him otherwise. 

They finished the food in relative silence until William came to the cakes part of the basket. 

The elder boy enjoyed the sweet tarts, but found sticky sweet syrup clinging to his fingers after eating two, despite his best precautions. 

Not wanting to seem like a heathen in front of the Prince, he went to wipe his hand on the rug, only for a hand to trap his wrist in place. 

Thomas sucked the syrup from his fingers, sliding his mouth down to the knuckles. 

William watched in disbelief and tried hard, not to focus on the Prince practising fellatio on the digits. 

His cock began to stir in his trousers again and Thomas immediately notices.

The prince slid William's breeches back down over his knees.

Without hesitation, he swallowed him down the whole way.

William sucked a ragged breath in, moaning loud as Thomas deep throated him, swallowing in time with his heartbeat.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck-" He whimpered, anchoring a hand into Thomas's curls.

Thomas didn't let off for a moment, his focus so intense the sun paled in comparison to his attention.

William exploded in mere minutes, tapping his shoulder to warn him.

Thomas ignored him entirely and he came, his self control shattering.

He could only watch in utter disbelief as his sweet faced Prince swallowed shot after shot of bitter liquid that hit the back of his throat.

Thomas crawled up the length of his body and kissed him, allowing him to taste himself on the royal's tongue.

The Prince looked at William, utterly debauched and fucked out.

_Now that was more like it_, Thomas smiled to himself as his soldier's chest heaved,_ he'd always preferred a sprint to a marathon._

Thomas swallowed the last bit of William's cum, and finally sat back on his heels, wiping his mouth.

William went to reciprocate, only to be pushed back gently onto the blanket.

“No, I’m a bit sensitive still. We can try later.” He admits and William nods, giving him a slow kiss instead. 

And just like that, it’s as though a dam has broken, water pouring out with speed at an uncontrolled pace. 

Fucking at the picnic was incredible and suddenly, William and Thomas can’t get enough of their hands on each other.

Neither of the them let go of the other for more than a moment on the way back to the house.

When they do get back and into the privacy of Thomas's quarters, they have sex again and this time, it is frantic. 

William had the younger against the wall, his own seed from earlier easing the way far better this time.

Thomas was so over stimulated that he cries and sobs, pleading with William not to stop.

He obeyed his Prince's orders and doesn’t let up, or slow down at all.

Thomas marvelled at the strength of the other as he was held in place.

William's hips shove up and into him in a brutal, delicious manner that punches every last breath of air out of him. 

It’s a miracle that he doesn’t wake the dead with his screams and William who had been relatively quiet earlier, gets _loud_. 

All of a sudden, the elder pulls away from the wall and pushes him onto the bed on his back. 

He lifted Thomas’s leg up over his shoulder, almost bending the other in half and set an even faster, mind blowing pace. 

The new angle is delicious and leaves Thomas writhing, reaching for his cock so he can come. 

William started to really fuck into his Prince with vigour; both of them moments away from completion. 

The elder of the two knew that his own climax would be painful, near dry, but he didn't feel bothered by the knowledge.

Thomas’s enjoyment was far more important to him and he focused everything into making sure it would be an earth shattering orgasm for his Prince. 

Thomas was shaking uncontrollably, his legs reduced to jelly.  He yelped out William's name and came all over them both again.

William came from the sight of him, wrecked and fucked out, covered in his own seed.

Like he had expected; it was almost dry, verging on painful. 

It takes a few moments for William to be able to shift backwards enough to pull out of his lover.

Thomas let out a low hiss at the sensation, oversensitive and suddenly exhausted.

The Prince wasn't even able to muster the strength to pull the blankets up over them.  William managed to do it instead.

Thomas gave him a grateful kiss, well and truly done in by his soldier. 

As they began to fall asleep and their breathing slowed, Thomas thought to himself.

As he watched William slip into a deep slumber, he knew that if he needed to, he would defend William with his own life.

_He was ruined, now. No other man or woman would ever be able to match up to William, to be good as he was._

_In William, he had finally met his match._

* * *

The last few days before they have to return to court pass by in a blur of heated nights and frantic lovemaking on every surface that's available to them.

Such strenuous physical exercise didn't come without a cost though, and T homas's head dropped onto William's shoulder as they climbed into the carriage.

He was exhausted, and i t was due to be a long journey back to court.

William still felt fearful of beginning the long journey there, but he would sooner die than part from Thomas and not go with him.

"Are you alright?" William asked and Thomas nodded, yawning.

"Sleepy, that's all. You kept me up last night."

"I wanted to enjoy our last night together." He replied softly, thumbing Thomas's lip.

Thomas snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I'm telling you. No one at court will care."

"It's not just that I'm worried about." He admitted softly, frowning out of the carriage window.

"What's worrying you?" Thomas asked and held the other's hand between his own.

"I'm scared that the court will see me as a traitor and won't allow me to stay, or worse."

“Don’t be scared. You betrayed _them, _not us.  
You saved our army from certain death. As far as the court are concerned your hands are clean from blood.” Thomas replied, setting his feet on the other side of the carriage.

William let out a sigh of relief and sank back into the carriage seat.

“Are you sure the court don’t blame me?” 

“Blame you? William, you’re seen as a hero. We would have lost almost the entire battalion that day had it not been for your actions.” 

"I still fear that your court will not welcome me as one."

"I told you, William. When we kissed. I will keep you safe. I promise."

The carriage lurched into action, beginning it's slow route down to the south.

William looked out of the window apprehensively as Thomas fell asleep against his shoulder.

_Here he was, going to start his new life with Thomas._

_Right into the lions den._

_What could possibly go wrong?_


End file.
